OFF TOPIC comment — snow buntings have been visiting my birdfeeder all week! I get to study them from about 8 feet away. And to think I’d never seen them before, ever. Then, the day I read your post on them, I saw a huge flock in a field nearby. Synchronicity…

This looks like an owl pellet based on the abundance of bone fragments- and the size of the pellet is very large- snowy owl large. I hear there was a lemming population crash up north, and the Snowy Owls are making appearances in New England!

Mary, is this an some kind of owl pellet? I have found them at other times of year or could it be a mammal’s scat that eat small animals ( feathers or fur )?

I love your book that I’ve owned and used since 2010. I love it for using with the children I volunteer with at a local nature center and K-1 classroom in local school. It has also been very helpful resource for teaching “Hands-On-Nature” in schools. I give it as a gift often! Thank you so much for writing it in the style you did…month by month and then extra info. I absolutely love your week day blogs. So easy to read and share the info. I have been learning so much!

I was a preschool teacher for 40 years. I am retired but volunteer in my community. I grew up in Burlington, VT. and went to U.V.M. and Trinity College. I worked at the Trinity College Child Care Center for 26 years.

Moved to Calais, VT. 15 years ago. Love exploring our 95 acres connected to 95 more and 400+ more land all under the Vermont Land Trust. I love the many varied types of land…hill/mountain, 2 beaver ponds, Norway Spruce plantation that my husband’s father planted in in 1950, mowed fields, growing fields, deciduous forests, waterfall, trails we share, my husband’s cabin, flower and vegetable gardens.

I have always brought my classes here to explore, touch, play and learn. Making fairy houses on the moss mounds/hills in spruce forest and watching/holding , feeding and gathering eggs of my small flock of chickens are always popular. Lunch in the forest or if rainy, we eat on the large screened in porch with nature books always available.

I see and take photos of all the wildlife that I watch and wait for. Your photos are really great!

Thank you again for your blogs, book, and skillful observation and invaluable info. I have 2 granddaughters and 2 grandsons…not close by but when we visit together it is all about outdoors!

Admittedly I am truly guessing when I tell you that the your photo could be representative of the remains of a really nasty hairball; perhaps a token shared with us via an abnormally large opposum! No? Really? Have a sense of humor, please! Because it sure does appear a tad revolting!

Here’s the comment I just sent as an email reply, written before I saw the replies above, but it looks as though a number of us are in agreement: “Looks like an owl pellet to me…and from the hint, I’m guessing it was regurgitated by a snowy owl.”

Mary Holland posted: “Do you know what this is and what created it? Hint: Most winters this would be a rare find in New England, but not this one. All guesses welcome! Naturally Curious is supported by donations. If you choose to contribute, you may go to http://www.n“

> WordPress.com > Mary Holland posted: “Do you know what this is and what created it? > Hint: Most winters this would be a rare find in New England, but not > this one. All guesses welcome! Naturally Curious is supported by > donations. If you choose to contribute, you may go to http://www.n” >

Your wonderful photos and insights continue to amaze and delight me. Please come out and start a Nat.Curious California; I don’t know enough, but your work has sharpened both my curiosity and my insight!

Mary Holland posted: “Do you know what this is and what created it? Hint: Most winters this would be a rare find in New England, but not this one. All guesses welcome! Naturally Curious is supported by donations. If you choose to contribute, you may go to http://www.n“

My 6th graders agree with the Snowy Owl Pellet crowd. They’ve also asked me to suggest you do more mystery photos more regularly. (Weekly? Biweekly? Monthly?) They literally ask me daily if there is another mystery photo, and Wow!, did the jump all over this one!